don't tell anyone

Don't tell anyone but I am breaking free (Beth Moore) again. This is like my sixth time so this time I am only reading the book. I don't like to use the same workbook twice because it can promote laziness in my case and I might skip some exercises. I couldn't bring myself to buy the workbook again since I just purchased another "A Womans Heart."

I wanted to share a brief quote in regard to human leadership. She was going over the Kings of Israel and how none of them were immune to pride no matter who the leader or how Godly they were. She was encouraging believers to ask God daily to guard them against pride and here is the quote I love:

"If our liberty in Christ is going to be a reality in life, we are going to have to learn to walk in the freedom of Christ, independent of everyone else we know." Beth Moore

Not only do you and I need to be aware of pride but we need to be aware of areas of unbelief. Ask God to reveal them to you. I know several areas currently that I am not walking in belief over. In my head I know the scripture but my actions deny that I am believing it. The Lord and I are going to work on this now.

Another thing I have been thinking about is friendship. We may unknowingly influence others, but we also are being influenced in some shape or form. This led me this weekend to pray over my friendships. Are you and I being negatively impacted by the people we call friends or are we becoming more like Christ as a result of our friendships? There have been deadly combinations along this journey in my life that have had to be cut off. I love a statement that Beth Moore's husband Keith, has taught their family: "Saying goodbye is a necessary life skill." He is so right and I couldn't have put it any better. There are some people that we need to say goodbye to along the way so we can press on to know Christ. We may be the one that someone needs to part company with so they can go on with Jesus. I was faced with a difficult situation a couple of years ago. Their was a person that I had a heart for, but every time I was around this person I felt caught up in a web of gossip. I am not saying that I was not guilty. I was guilty at times just for listening and not speaking up. I began to pray that the LORD would cut off that relationship because no matter any attempt I made to bring it back to the cross...it failed and in turn I always felt drained and defeated. Our relationships with others should seek to glorify God and edify each other. I have a very hard time saying goodbye. There are also memories that we need to say goodbye to. If we are lingering in the past over past relationships, or things that are exalting themselves over God...we need to say goodbye. Yes, their is a need to acknowledge that certain things in our life happen for a season but there is a time to let go and move on. I can not tell you how much time (in my head) that I have spent living in the past, when God wants me to MOVE ON! We can not spend forever wondering what might have been...we have to go on with God to live in the present or we will miss out! I know from experience. Dwelling in the past, refusing to let go of hurts, or the fact that things don't turn out like you planned will rob you of joy and contentment. I have had to pray very recently that God would help me to get over some things that were robbing me and help me to say GOODBYE!

Most of my precious friends are single adults. They love Jesus with a tenacity that I love to be around. I know for me, when I was single, it was hard to say goodbye to dating relationships that didn't work out. There were some relationships where I dearly and genuinely loved the person along the way but that person was not who God had for me. I can remember writing notes and trying to say goodbye because of reasons known to me, I knew I couldn't stay where I was and it was so hard because saying goodbye was almost worse than a death. With death you have some closure through grieving (even still our hearts long for eternity and we all really hate goodbyes), but with the ending of a relationship their is sometimes rejection, but things just can't stay the same no matter what. I have lost friendship that was dear to me and had to say goodbye because I was for one reason or another, completely out of God's will for my life. He wouldn't let me have rest in those relationships and to stay meant to forfeit peace...I couldn't do that. Then there were other relationships that were not so dear to me (stalker, psycho types) that I couldn't wait to see go...NO PROBLEM..don't let the door hit you on the way out! You know what I mean. Either way if our relationships aren't lining up...we need to line up with Christ and follow Him even if it costs us saying goodbye and hurting. We can come to Him and allow Him to stop our bleeding hearts and bandage our wounds. He is so near in the times where we hurt the most, if we will let Him in. I know personally! We also do have to make allowances in our relationships to others. We will all fail and let each other down. You will only see God have unfailing love toward you...no one else. We are clay and we are tainted by sin at times and don't always see things clearly. We can't cut everyone off for making a mistake or none of us would be friends. However still our friendships should bear fruit that is good. If you are lonely and don't have a close friend ( I have been there) pray for one. He knows what you need before you ask...even still it will be in His timing. I went a long time without a close friend in my teen years and God taught me to rely on Him like no other during that time. Ask Him to strengthen the friendships that you have. Gotta go play with my girl!

Proverbs 27:17
17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

Proverbs 17:17
17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.


Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:
10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

NIV Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.